variants
also skunk
as in dogs
a person whose behavior is offensive to others
he's nothing but a dirty, rotten skunk
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in bombs
to defeat by a large margin
we ended up skunking them, as our goalie was able to prevent the other team from scoring a single goal
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in masters
to achieve a victory over
our football team consistently skunks our traditional rivals Thanksgiving after Thanksgiving
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stings
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
unwilling to let suppliers skunk him, the restaurant owner inspected every shipment before signing off on it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of skunks
Shiv Sudhakar, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2025
The skunk with distemper is stuck in the window well again, chewing incessantly on the garden hose that is coiled up in there.
—Miriam Toews
september 3, Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
His yard now attracts wildlife, including raccoons, skunks and even the occasional coyote.
—Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 30 Aug. 2025
Authorities found a total of 105 dead animals, including 77 rabbits, 23 chickens, two cats, a duck, a skunk and a squirrel, according to the warrant affidavit.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 21 Aug. 2025
So are the deer, turkeys, skunks, crickets, spiders, ticks, bats, dragonflies, and ospreys.
—Eric Lach, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2025
In Wyoming, the National Park Service said rabies is most commonly found in bats and skunks.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2025
In Wyoming, bats are one of the two main carriers of rabies, the other being skunks.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 13 Aug. 2025
This encourages chipmunks, as well as other wildlife, such as raccoons, opossums, and skunks to visit, says Owen.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 7 Aug. 2025
Noun
Around 75% of Americans are exposed to raccoons, skunks and foxes — the very wildlife that commonly spread the fatal disease to humans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
—Shiv Sudhakar, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2025
The skunk with distemper is stuck in the window well again, chewing incessantly on the garden hose that is coiled up in there.
—Miriam Toews
september 3, Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2025
His yard now attracts wildlife, including raccoons, skunks and even the occasional coyote.
—Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 30 Aug. 2025
Authorities found a total of 105 dead animals, including 77 rabbits, 23 chickens, two cats, a duck, a skunk and a squirrel, according to the warrant affidavit.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 21 Aug. 2025
So are the deer, turkeys, skunks, crickets, spiders, ticks, bats, dragonflies, and ospreys.
—Eric Lach, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2025
In Wyoming, the National Park Service said rabies is most commonly found in bats and skunks.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2025
In Wyoming, bats are one of the two main carriers of rabies, the other being skunks.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 13 Aug. 2025
This encourages chipmunks, as well as other wildlife, such as raccoons, opossums, and skunks to visit, says Owen.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skunks
Noun
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The man says his next step may be to approach the dogs' owner with an offer of money to remove them from their current situation and find them a proper home.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Designers Rachel Antonoff and Susan Korn—who hosted their second annual Best in Show runway, which paired adoptable dogs with human models—also welcome children.—
Hannah Jackson,
Vogue,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Remind them their worth is non-negotiable When your child fails — gets cut from the team, bombs a test — remind them their value isn't up for debate.—
Jennifer Breheny Wallace,
CNBC,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
This storied sandwich is served each year at the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia; and many have long tried to replicate the recipe, which seemingly masters the perfect ratio of ingredients for classic egg salad.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
23 Aug. 2025
-
Focus is difficult and hardly anyone masters the skill.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The first mozzie of the evening stings my arm.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Sep. 2025
-
But this kind of comment often stings.—
Time,
Time,
26 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
What about those snakes and spiders and overhanging branches?—
Deborah Treisman,
New Yorker,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Both are as crooked as snakes in a hurry.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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To accomplish this, Barton turned to the fundamental dance technique of spotting, where the dancer finds a focal point in front of them and whips their head around to hold that focus spot and keep themself centered.—
Oliver Sava,
Vulture,
28 Aug. 2025
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Wind whips both the sound waves and temperatures around, so bring a blanket even if it’s not forecast to rain or hail.—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
19 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Providing a narrow network or mail-order-only option defeats the purpose.—
Wendy Barnes,
Fortune,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Getting vaccinated too early defeats the purpose.—
Eileen Finan,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The new CoFe-2DSA catalyst overcomes these limits through a unique structure.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Saginaw’s surge overcomes Boswell The Pioneers of Boswell dominated play in the opening half, building a 21-0 lead that looked rock solid behind a persistent defense and an offense balanced with good running and passing.—
Pat Wheeler,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Skunks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skunks. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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